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I nod my head confirming that it’s fine for him to tell Olivia the truth. The one that I’ve kept hidden from her and I should have just told her from the start.
“She stopped taking the pill. Hoping that if she was pregnant and we had a family that our two-year engagement would turn into a marriage,” I say as a tear escapes my eye.
“Did it work?”
I shake my head, “No, even worse she was told about the risks of getting pregnant. She was seven months when they rushed her to the hospital. I lost not only her but my baby boy at the same time.”
“And that’s when you started to drink?”
Olivia asks as if she’s trying to put all the pieces together.
“Yes.”
“The girl in the photo. The one on the wall in your apartment.”
I nod again, “Yes.”
Olivia sighs, “The one that you still love?”
I’m about to correct her and say that I never thought I could give my heart to another when Granddad says, “Olivia’s right. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Oh fucking hell!”
I’m so fucking mad I know that if I stay in the barn a minute longer, I’ll fucking blow. And he’s going to wish that he never confessed. That’s when I hear Olivia mumble, “The cookies are on the table,” she appears as if every emotion has been taken out of her. She starts to head to the cottage.
I throw down my polishing rag and walk out of the tack room, leaving Granddad alone with the saddles. As I cross the lawn, I see Olivia slowly heading toward the cottage. I want to run after her but don’t.
In a few minutes, everything had been turned upside down. I couldn’t put all the blame on the old man. I told myself. I was part of the conspiracy. Damn it, why couldn’t I have just played along with Granddad. Why did I have to fall in love with Olivia? Why, why!
I don’t have the answers, just the questions. Without thinking I take a cookie from the platter. I bite into it and shake my head. Damn it! I need to leave this fucking ranch. Before I do something that I’ll regret. I knew that I shouldn’t have fucking come back. This place has too many painful memories, and the old man’s just added another one to the list. He made me fall in love with the ranch hand, only to have to fall out of love with her all over again. There’s just one problem; I haven’t got a fucking clue how to do it.
Chapter 14
Olivia
It’s been a few days since I left the ranch. I had to get out of there. When I was in Houston with Isaac, I felt alive. I realized that there’s a whole world out here and I haven’t explored any of it. Luckily living on the ranch and being paid and having my meals paid for, meant that I was able to save. I managed to get a room, and I’m trying to find a job. There’s just one problem. Apart from my high school diploma I have no skills.
I need a job.
There’s just one problem - no one wants to hire anyone with ranch skills, not in the city. I knew that I would bump into Isaac sooner or later. I was walking past the coffee shop when I saw him.
“Olivia, I was hoping to see you again,” he smiles awkwardly.
I want to tell him that I’m busy and that I need to go. Out of all the coffee shops in Houston, why did I have to walk past this one?
“Come inside. Let’s talk?”
“No,” I blurt out. “I’m busy.”
“Well do you have a number I can call you on? I keep trying your old number, and it says out of service.”
I stand to feel as if he’s trying to put the blame on me.
“I got a new one because Neil kept calling me too.”
That’s the extent of people who call me. No one else is interested in speaking to me; it’s kind of sad.
“Do you have a new one? Maybe when you’re less busy, then we can meet up and have a coffee. On me. I’ll pay for your chai latte this time.”
